Napa Valley, a region north of San Francisco, California, is mainly known for its wineries and gourmet restaurants. Outside of the wine estates, Napa Valley provides a tranquil suburban place to live and raise a family.
Los Angeles Surrogacy provides surrogate screening, surrogate-intended parent matching, and surrogacy guidance services throughout all of California. We work with the top medical and legal professionals available in your area, and we can also help with travel and housing accommodations.
If you are looking to begin your journey to parenthood in Napa Valley, or if you want to become a surrogate to help other families grow in Napa Valley, please contact us here.
Finding a Surrogate that Lives Near Napa Valley
Los Angeles Surrogacy requires a thorough screening process to become a surrogate on our roster. The screening journey is as follows:
- Initial Interview(s)
The first step of the surrogate screening process after the prospective surrogate reaches out to us with interest is an initial interview. It is mainly a discussion to answer any questions and get a feel for if we are a right fit to work together. It is a laid-back conversation.
There may be more than one discussion if either party wants there to be.
- Personal Information
If both the agency representative(s) and the prospective surrogate decide to move forward with the partnership, then she will begin to fill out the application form. The form requires her to fill out personal information like phone number, email address, home address, date of birth, and marital status. She will also note down how many children she has, as having at least one successful pregnancy and birth prior to becoming a surrogate is required.
- Health Data
There is an application form that details out all diagnoses, current or past, that may affect the surrogate’s pregnancy and delivery. There are questions regarding prior pregnancies and any complications with delivery, any contraceptive methods used, and any irregularities with your monthly menstrual cycle. The application requires listing out every medication you take and why.
The health of both the surrogate and the unborn baby are the most important parts of the surrogacy journey. That’s why this section is incredibly detailed.
- Lifestyle Questions
This stage of the process addresses:
- Alcohol consumption
- Smoking habits
- Dietary restrictions and preferences
- Recreational and prescription drug use
- Routine exercise
- Living situations, including the people you live with (as stated above, it’s imperative that your partner and the people you live with support your decision to become a surrogate)
- Employment and schedule flexibility, for the purpose of appointment scheduling
- Emotional Wellness
There are mental health-related questions to be answered, including any diagnoses and treatments – past and current.
- Background Check
All prospective surrogates must consent to a background check. This will verify things like identity information, educational and financial history, criminal background (if any), driver’s history, and more.
- Preferences
The final step of the screening process is a discussion about preferences. This is the main portion of information we use to make our perfect surrogate-intended parent matches.
Your preferences on communication style and frequency, travel, and other things like the willingness to carry twins are discussed and noted before we find a match.
What To Expect as a Surrogate if You Live Near Napa Valley
Before you begin your journey, be sure you meet all qualifications to become a surrogate. You can find a detailed list here, but in a nutshell, the requirements are:
- You should be between 20 and 39 years old
- You must have already had at least one successful, live birth
- You should not use any marijuana or nicotine products
- You must live in the United States legally
- You should have a BMI of 33 or less
- You should have a good support system
- If married or in a relationship, you must have the support of your partner
Typically, the entire surrogacy journey is between 14-22 months from when you begin filling out your application with Los Angeles Surrogacy to when you give birth. The screening, matching, legal paperwork education and signing, hormonal injections, and embryo transfer processes together can take 4-5 months, and then you will be pregnant for 9 months. Additional months would be waiting for a match, or for undergoing another embryo transfer procedure if you did not get pregnant the first time.
Whether or not the surrogates meet the parents is completely up to the surrogate and the parents. Some pairings meet regularly, and the parents may even attend appointments including ultrasound screenings, check-ups, and, of course, the child’s birth.
Other partnerships keep their communication via text/WhatsApp, email, and/or Zoom calls. Usually, it is most important to be in communication during milestones, like the start of a new trimester.
Why Choose Los Angeles Surrogacy?
Los Angeles Surrogacy is actually a leading surrogacy agency in the United States, and therefore in the world. We are based in California for a few reasons:
- California’s structured and customizable legal framework surrounding surrogacy is one-of-a-kind. We feel free and safe here to provide excellent service to all of our clients, recognizing every unique scenario and finding solutions for any arising obstacles.
- California establishes a pre-birth order, declaring the intended parents as the legal parents of the child before the birth. This allows them to make all decisions, most importantly all medical decisions, for the child from the moment of delivery. Most states do not have their surrogacy system set up this way, and instead establish this after the birth.
- California law requires the intended parent(s) and the surrogate to have separate legal representation, so each party’s interests are represented fairly.
- Californian society is very inclusive and progressive. There is no discrimination tolerated about race, gender, religion, relationship status, or any other self-identifying factors.
- Californian medical clinics are some of the most advanced in the world, allowing for the highest chance of successful surrogacy pregnancies.
As an intended parent, it doesn’t matter if you live in California, are from out of state, or reside in a different country – you will be protected by all of the same laws and regulations.
We have been helping families grow for over 15 years and have grown with the industry in that time. Our success stories speak for themselves.
If you are interested in becoming a parent or surrogate with the help of a surrogacy agency, please visit our website here and reach out!